Gems of Arcelia
by Akela Victoire
Summary: As they began to lose the war, five Earth Fairies took desperate measures to ensure that the last of their kind wouldn't be alone. Four Gems spread across Earth, now in the hands of those they deemed worthy. The Winx now have not only one, but five fairies to protect from the Black Circle...
1. Failsafe

_Hello all, and welcome to the rewrite of_ _ **Gems of Arcelia!**_

For those of you completely new to this story, this is a rewrite of an older story of mine which I first published all the way back in 2012. It's still up on the site if you want to have a look, but consider that version obsolete.

I felt that I could have really done better with it, so I decided to give it a major overhaul and this was the result. Old hands will recognise the changes and the OC faces. New ones? I hope you enjoy the ride.

As for the date of publication, today, _**September 30th, 2015**_ is the 6th anniversary of my being on the site, so consider this a way to celebrate.

 _Also,_ a special shout-out must go out to _**Tabby Kattene,**_ who used the original version of this story as inspiration for plot elements in her stories _**The Guardian Stones**_ and _**Fly or Fall**_ (the rewrite). Go check them out and prod her to update them more often, people!

Anyway, let's get to the story, _shall we?_

* * *

 _ **Many Years Ago...**_

* * *

The atmosphere in the dimly lit cave was tense, as five female figures surrounded a campfire, the only source of light present as the star-less night sky prevailed outside.

"What do we do? We can't let the Wizards win!" a petite young woman with straight, waist-length platinum blonde hair, silver eyes and pale skin exclaimed, looking around her wildly as if she expected to be attacked at any moment.

"Farah is right. Our Queen and her warriors fight well, but the Wizards are overpowering them. Day by day, they kill our fellow fairies from all around the world and take their power." A woman with navy blue hair pulled into a ponytail, light green eyes, and brown skin spoke next, fidgeting with the hem of her dress. "We have to find a way... we have to do something about it. _Anything!_ "

"You are right as well, Verdani. I might have left Earth a long time ago to live in the Magix realm, but that doesn't mean that I can turn a blind eye to the events happening here." The one who appeared to be the oldest of the five stood up and stretched; a woman with strawberry blonde hair greying at the temple and a freckled face, grasping a wooden staff with various coloured gems embedded in it.

"What would you propose we do then, Arcelia? We, as much as I do not like to admit it… we are not as strong as the Wizards of the Black Circle! If we went up against them head on, we would be completely crushed!" the next woman to speak- and apparently the youngest- twirled her ear-length brown hair around her finger nervously, dark blue eyes filled with worry.

"Even if we die, Saisha, I would love to get a one-over on those bastards. Wouldn't it be wonderful, that even with us dead, they still couldn't win?" the last one to speak, a woman with dark purple hair rolled into a bun and hazel eyes chortled.

"That it would be, Quirina. That it would be…" Arcelia mused.

All of the women in the cave remained silent, watching the flames of their campfire, completely lost in their thoughts.

Arcelia looked down at the fire, her face seemingly looking as if she was struggling with something mentally.

"Arcelia, what are you thinking?" Farah looked up to see the older fairy pacing up and down.

"Verdani!" Arcelia spoke sharply, startling the blue-haired fairy. "Didn't you once say that Carys once saw one of us in the future? That one of our kind would be born many years from now?"

"Yes, but I don't know if she would be anything special. Carys didn't see whether or not the Wizards would manage to kill us all off, but she saw her…" Verdani answered.

 _"If only Carys were actually still alive to clarify the matter..."_ Quirina muttered. "She was the best of all us Earth Fairies at anything related to Divination!"

"That's probably why Ogron, Duman, Anagan and Gantlos went after her first. Wouldn't want her potentially 'seeing' ways to defeat them, now would they?" Farah spoke bitterly.

" _Then that means that some of us at least, might live until that time. But that girl… She will likely be all alone in her magic, thanks to the Wizards. She will need cohorts in magic. Fellow fairies that can aid her. Aid each other in the return of magic to Earth and perhaps even take down the Wizards one day…"_ Arcelia mused out loud, confusing the other fairies.

"What are you on about, Arcelia? What do you mean?" Saisha asked.

"What I mean is this. Carys _(may the Fates rest her soul)_ saw that there would be another Earthling fairy born many years from now and that she would be the last of our kind. Whether that is because we are all killed off, abandoned the planet or are sealed away somewhere, she will be alone." Arcelia pointed out.

"So that's it then? We're done for? The Wizards of the Black Circle are going to win?!" Verdani asked angrily.

"And what can _we_ do about the matter?" Quirina raised an eyebrow.

"I already have a legacy in the Realm of Magix. If I die here, my magic will have already been passed down to my descendants there. You four on the other hand... Should anything happen to you..." Arcelia trailed off.

 _"...our lineage is done."_ Saisha whispered, horrified.

"There may be a way to ensure that doesn't happen, even if you are killed. Some time ago, all four of you received gifts from me, did you not?" Arcelia asked. "Where are they?"

"Mine is right here." Saisha lifted a silver necklace out of her blouse, which had a glittering emerald ankh pendant attached to it.

Verdani pulled a silver four-pointed star brooch with a round, sparkling sapphire set in the middle out of her pocket, Farah shook out her ponytail and pulled out a silver, heart-shaped hairpin with a heart-shaped ruby set in the centre from it, letting her hair loose in the process and Quirina snapped her fingers and a silver gauntlet with a cloud-shaped amethyst stone set in it appeared on her right wrist.

"What about them?" Verdani queried.

"Those jewellery items... the gemstones embedded in them rather... I have done research. Possible theories and methods of accomplishing such via those very same gemstones that I fashioned..." Arcelia answered.

"Accomplishing _what?_ " Farah pressed.

"Your legacy of course. A failsafe. Even if you are killed, your magic will still live on. It would be a pyrrhic victory for us... for _you,_ but the Wizards would never be able to get their hands on your magic if it came down to that..."

Arcelia paced up and down the cave, the only sounds in which were the crackling of the campfire, her footsteps and the fairies' breathing.

"I could be the Binder, but you would be the ones to pour your magic into the gems... _Yes!_ If you did that, your jewellery... the gemstones embedded within them... They would contain your powers... and a part of your very soul even... With the right runic array, we could spread them across our planet and they could fall into the hands of worthy humans..."

"Wait, Arcelia. _Stop right there._ " Quirina "We are _not_ casting our powers out, only for them to fall into the hands of some _pathetic_ humans! They would never know what to do with such power. They would... the magic would go to their heads and who knows what destruction they could do?!"

"I agree. Why _humans?_ They are not deserving of such magic!" Farah exclaimed. "I have seen no human that would handle this sort of thing well. Even if they were not to use the magic to take advantage of other humans, it could drive them insane!"

"Who else do you propose we do this to then? Who else would be there to receive your magic? _Other fairies?_ If that were the case, then there would be no need to even discuss this measure!" Arcelia exclaimed angrily. "We know charms, runes, different spells. We would make sure that even if it happens centuries from now, that _those gems would fall into the hands of those you deem worthy!_ "

Verdani, Saisha, Farah and Quirina looked at her, eyes widened. None of the four had ever seen the elder fairy worked into such a passion before...

Arcelia rubbed her temples in frustration. " _Fine._ If you do not want to do this, if you want your lineage to be destroyed, if you want the Earth fairy that Carys saw to truly be the last of our kind, then that is your choice. I will take my leave now. I can only wish you all the best..." she started to head towards the mouth of the cave.

"Wait! Arcelia! _Don't go!_ " Saisha transformed and flew forward to touch Arcelia on the shoulder. "I want to try this. I want to make sure that if anything happens to me, my healing... my... _bio-magic..._ lives on! I'll do it!"

"I have a concern!" Verdani exclaimed. "What if the Wizards of the Black Circle find our jewellery... the gems in them... before the... _humans_ do? Wouldn't they be able to drain the magic from them?"

"What if they find the... _artificial fairies..._ " Quirina sounded disgusted at the very idea. "...before they gain control of their magic? An untrained fairy would be easy pickings for them. Much easier than it would be to defeat us."

"You mentioned bits of our souls being placed into the gems... Surely you don't mean that we make _Soul Jars_ put of them?!" Farah looked disgusted at the very thought.

"I most certainly _do not,_ Farah." Arcelia looked equally disgusted. "As if I would ever suggest such a thing! Pollute my precious creations with such horrid magic _indeed._ I do not oppose the use of dark magic where necessary, but Soul Jars... _never._ "

Farah looked at Saisha and seeing her worried expression, relented.

"Very well." Farah took a deep breath as she held her hairpin tighter. "What must we do?"

"Farah! _No!_ Surely you don't agree with this... this... _fiasco?!_ " Quirina looked angry.

Farah hesitated. "Not... entirely, but what choice do I really have? As the Fairy of Emotions, I have felt the emotional pain of those of our kind who have already lost those close to them. Those who felt alone as they tried to escape the Black Circle. I don't want this fairy to feel alone. Besides, this is just a failsafe. Only if I die by the Black Circle's hand will the magic you are suggesting activate, correct?" She looked Arcelia in the eye.

Arcelia nodded.

Farah took a deep breath and willed her transformation.

"I... I don't like it either. The spirits of dead fairies call out to me, wanting revenge... If I join their ranks and I don't take this chance..." Verdani closed her eyes, willing her tears away as she stood up and transformed.

Quirina looked around at them.

" _So._ That's it then. You're all just going to give up? Roll over and let them win?" She stood up, glaring them all down.

"It's not giving up, Quirina." Saisha floated forward, putting a gloved hand gently on the purple-haired fairy's shoulder. "It's making sure that _if_ anything happens to us, _if_ it comes to the worse... they still wouldn't get what they're looking for in us. If it works, our magic will go to _deserving_ humans. _Ones who could handle it._ "

"All my years of learning and study... My weather magic... potentially cut short by the havoc that those four dark wizards are wreaking on our kind... I do like the thought of crossing them... even if they end up killing me..." Quirina clenched her fists, trying to calm herself down.

"Any day now, they will find you. _All of you._ " Arcelia spoke softly. "You are all younger than me by many years, but you are my friends. You four refuse to leave Earth like myself and many other fairies have done. Even those fairies most skilled at warding and defensive spells have been found, captured and in some cases, _killed._ "

Something in Quirina's angry expression changed and Arcelia, noticing it, pressed on.

"I wish you would come to safety with me, but you all want to fight until the very end or help out otherwise in any way you can. I am not much of a fighter myself. But... I want to do this for you. Just in case anything happens... Your magic... _you..._ won't be lost forever."

 _"All of this..."_ Quirina ground out. "All of it... I wish it weren't necessary. The Wizards of the Black Circle have found a way to make themselves immune to fairy magic, so we can't just fight them... You are actually suggesting that we entrust the care of our magic to _mere humans..._ But if you... we perform the spell right and our jewellery... the gems... fall into the hands of truly worthy humans... That fairy in the future won't be alone if we fall..."

Arcelia nodded. "That is the intention of all this, Quirina. The sole reason I put myself at risk to return here to see you, Verdani, Farah and Saisha after all..."

"What do we have to do for this, Arcelia?" Saisha asked.

"Hold the jewellery and focus your magic into it. As strongly as possible. Think of everything you can do with that magic. How you feel when you wield it. Think of how much you refuse to let the Wizards of the Black Circle win completely against you." the gemstone fairy instructed.

Quirina transformed and joined the others in following Arcelia's instructions.

"Think of the traits of someone you think would be worthy of experiencing your magic. Of guarding it. Of wielding it as your own."

Soft glows of dark green, red, purple and blue engulfed Saisha, Farah, Quirina and Verdani respectively as they did as they were asked.

Arcelia transformed and clutched the staff as each gem set in it began to glow softly.

A golden glow emanated from the staff and engulfed each individual item of jewellery that the other four held, mingling with the light already emanating from them as the gemstone fairy chanted something in Latin.

When she tapped the staff on the cave floor as she spoke a final incantation, a circle of golden coloured runes surrounded them all before glowing brightly.

When the glow subsided, each of the other four fairies looked at their jewellery in expressions akin to awe.

"It is done." Arcelia breathed heavily. "The failsafe... It is in place..." She leaned against a cave wall.

"That was..." Saisha paused. "I don't know how to describe that, honestly..."

"Neither do I..." Quirina looked at Arcelia. "Where did you learn such a spell?"

"It is inconsequential now. But... I promised that I would return to Magix alive. I must go before they return again. I barely escaped with my life and my wings the last time we crossed paths..." Arcelia looked down at her feet.

Verdani flew forward to hug her friend and so did the others- though Quirina was a bit hesitant in displaying her affection.

"I will try my best to find Queen Morgana and tell her of what I have done before I return. Outside of us, I think she, at least, should know what we have done here today..." Arcelia said.

The other four fairies could only nod.

Arcelia hugged them all tightly. "Take care, my friends. Fly free. _Fly safe._ "

The gemstone fairy swiped her staff and in a flash of golden light, she was gone.

* * *

 _"Lightning Strike! Hail Hurricane!"_ Quirina was cornered by Gantlos and Anagan, heavily injured, as she did her best to fight them off.

She was bleeding from her left side, some of her hair had been pulled out of its usually immaculate bun, scratches and bruises covered her body, she was limping and even her wings looked rather tattered as she breathed heavily, one of her eyes swollen shut and blood running out the corner of her mouth.

"Why don't you give up, little fairy? You can't win against us!" Gantlos chuckled as he heard the screams of another fairy somewhere nearby.

 _"Verdani!"_ Quirina called out, trying to fight down the feeling of terror threatening to engulf her.

"Sounds like _Verdani_ is no longer in the land of the living!" Anagan chuckled.

"I find it ironic that she thought that the spirits of the dead could help her remain in the land of the living..." Gantlos sneered at her.

Duman and Ogron teleported in just then.

"Your other two friends have already been killed and your little ghost whisperer friend has just been... _eliminated,_ as you must have just heard." Ogron said. "There is nowhere for you to run, Fairy of Weather. Nowhere for you to hide."

"You... you will never get my magic! I would die first!" Quirina's gauntlet glinted in the evening sunlight as she felt her strength begin to fade.

"Great. Just what I was planning to do to you anyway." Duman shifted into what looked like a sabre-toothed tiger and charged towards the battered fairy.

Having neither the time nor energy to dodge, he made impact with her and Quirina was tossed into the air, landing with a thud to the ground, her fairy form fading away for a final time as she lay completely still.

Her gauntlet, unnoticed by the wizards, disappeared from her wrist.

 _"Dead."_ Gantlos prodded her body casually with the tip of his boot.

Ogron held a hand above Quirina's body, scanning it.

He frowned. "No magical residue. No magical aura around her body whatsoever. Even if dead, there should still be some sort of magic field around her. It's as if she was just a human!"

"Just like her friends..." Duman scowled.

"They must have done something to prevent us from getting their magic- alive or dead." Anagan mused.

" Never mind that. A dead fairy is just as good as a drained one to me." Ogron turned his back on Quirina's body. "Let's go. There are many more fairies that we need to pay visits to..."

Arcelia set the jewellery that she had crafted for her friends down on the table in front of her as she let her tears fall.

"I had hoped that it wouldn't come to this, but it has..." she wiped away the tears. " _Quirina. Verdani. Saisha. Farah._ All four of you. _Gone..._ "

Arcelia straightened up.

"What is done is done. The failsafe is in place. I cannot... must not fail you now..."

A familiar golden glow engulfed the pieces of jewellery as they floated in the air above her and then disappeared.

"They are gone now... It is finally done..." Arcelia sunk into a chair, exhausted both emotionally and physically.

"I can only hope that it works as well as I envisioned it. Even if it did not, at least it stopped the Wizards of the Black Circle from getting hold of my friends' magic at least."

She conjured a map of Earth and glanced at it.

Four glowing golden dots appeared on four separate locations on the map.

"The gems are hidden, just as I planned it. Someday, those who are worthy will find them. I only hope they will be able to handle it all..."

W aving her staff, the map rolled itself up and disappeared as Arcelia sunk into a nearby armchair and covered her face with her hands.

 _ **Just a little heads up:**_ We won't be seeing the actual canon characters until chapter 3. Next chapter, we'll see just what kinds of girls the Gems of Arcelia managed to make their way into the hands of...


	2. The Gem Holders

More than four months since I updated this... Whoops...

Anyway, I hope you enjoy these snippets of the lives of our Gem holders!

We'll see the canon characters again in the next chapter.

* * *

 _ **Present Day**_

* * *

 _ **Sydney, Australia**_

In the centre of a rather large bedroom, decorated with various shades of peach and cream, with peach walls and cream wall-to-wall carpeting, sat a large bed, covered in grey sheets and a thick, black blanket, which currently had a person-shaped bundle beneath it, sleeping peacefully.

The sun was beginning to shine outside, though its effect was muffled by the curtains drawn in front of the large windows, though a bit of its light reflected off the mahogany dresser set in one corner of the room.

It was peaceful and quiet.

But all of that was about to change as a preteen girl giggling to herself entered the room, her steps muffled by the carpeting as she approached the bed.

 _"Zoe..."_ the girl shook the bed- and the bundle in it- vigorously.

The bundle beneath the blanket groaned and tossed as the dark-haired, light-olive skinned teenage girl above it shook it.

"Go the hell away, Sandra. It's too bloody early to get up..." Another female voice moaned from beneath the blankets.

 _"Zoe..."_

 _"Zoeee..."_

 _"Zoe!"_

The preteen girl shook the bundle even more, her long curls shaking wildly as she bounced on the bed.

Then a mischievous grin spread on her face, before she took in a deep breath.

 _"ZOE BARTON, WAKE UP!"_

The bundle screamed and tumbled out of the bed, taking Sandra with it.

"Arugh! Sandra, why did you do that?!" the bundle untangled itself to reveal an older teenage girl with a similar skin tone and short hair with brown highlights, which was currently sticking out wildly.

"Because it's _fun!_ " Sandra smiled sweetly as Zoe glared at her.

"I don't find it that fun at all. _What do you want?_ " Zoe growled.

"Guess what day it is?" Sandra said in a sing-songy tone.

"The day that you finally leave me in peace?" Zoe groaned.

"No! It's mine and Mikey's birthday! Come on! Mum and Dad are taking us for brekkie at the hotel!" Sandra began jumping up and down on the bed.

"Go _away,_ Sandra. I had an all-nighter studying. Something that you never seem to do..." Zoe groaned.

Sandra ignored her sister.

"RACK OFF, SANDRA!" Zoe screamed in frustration, pulling her pillow over her head as she got back into bed.

" _Zoe! Sandra!_ Stop your nonsense and get down here! We are going out!" A female voice called through the door.

Sandra looked at her sister with an expression that made Zoe want to slap it off.

Practically sleepwalking as she did, Zoe went through the motions of showering (in an en-suite bathroom) and getting dressed, she dragged herself out into the rather spacious hallway and down a wide flight of steps, to see Sandra, a boy around Sandra's age standing next to her and their parents, the Middle Eastern woman with dark, shoulder-length hair and her brown eyes looking at her disapprovingly and her father, pale, blond haired and blue eyed, also donning a similar expression to her mother.

"We considered leaving you as we knew you had a long night, but still. It's your brother's and sister's birthday. You can't miss it." Julian Barton spoke.

"I wish I could, dad..." Zoe groaned.

 _"Zoe..."_ Khadijah Barton (neé Rahman) narrowed her eyes at her.

Zoe merely sighed and followed her family outside, all of them piling into her father's sleek new navy blue BMW that he'd only bought a month prior.

After several minutes of driving through their wealthy neighbourhood and eventually getting into the heart of Sydney proper, they pulled into the parking lot of a rather swanky looking hotel.

Once they were all out, they strode into the hotel together, though Zoe looked as if she would prefer nothing more than to be back home.

The lobby of the hotel was decorated in a gold, black and white colour scheme in a very ultra-modern fashion. Near the front, there was a very tall fountain playing, surrounded by black couches and in the very centre of the lobby was a clear-glass elevator carrying other guests up to their various floors.

Zoe didn't care much for any of it.

"Good Morning, Barton Family!" A middle-aged, male brown-haired porter waved to them as they walked through the lobby. "Mr and Mrs, the two Misses and the Junior Mr!"

Julian chuckled. "Always the clown, aren't you, David? Don't you have work to do?"

"I am doing it, sir!" David gestured to the cart full of luggage he was pushing and the family of five walking slightly ahead of him.

Zoe and her siblings snickered.

They were immediately seated after entering the restaurant and a rousing rendition of the _Happy Birthday_ song from the wait staff (causing Zoe to roll her eyes at the lameness of it all), they were finally served their food.

As Zoe ate however, she was also reading a book, which she had propped up on the table in front of her.

She was so caught up in what she was reading, that she completely failed to notice the increasingly annoyed expressions on her parents' faces and the looks of anticipation on her siblings'.

"Zoe, you need to put down that book and interact with your family more!" Julian scolded her.

" _Why?_ Current levels of interaction are satisfactory..." Zoe spoke nonchalantly, filling her mouth with another forkful of stewed sausage and mushrooms. "Just because I'm not engaging in conversation as much as you would like doesn't mean I don't care to interact at all..."

Khadijah began to mutter something under her breath in Arabic, but stopped and switched to (mostly) English.

" _Ibnah,_ I know you like to read and I like that you do, but please put that down. You may not get along well with Michael and Sandra but this is no reason to be like this, especially on their birthday..."

Zoe sighed as she slid the book back into her black, oversized handbag.

" _Jai'yedah._ Now _eat._ " Khadijah insisted.

Zoe glanced at her siblings and scowled at the disappointed looks on their faces.

They were obviously hoping that she'd get more than a mild scolding, the little buggers...

She began fiddling with the necklace she wore instead.

A silver choker with an emerald ankh set in the centre.

Zoe had found it while on vacation in her mother's homeland of Egypt a few months ago.

They'd been on tour to the Pyramids of Giza and she'd caught the sight of something silver and green glistening in the desert, partially hidden by sand and rock.

Something had drawn her to it and she had reached to pick it up.

As soon as her hand had closed around it, a mysterious warmth had spread through her and she felt compelled to keep it.

Nothing out of the ordinary had happened since that time, but it had been odd. She merely chalked up the feeling to the sweltering desert sun...

 _"Zoe!"_ Khadijah called, snapping her out of her trance.

Zoe sat up, startled. "Yes, Mum?"

"We were saying that we will spend the rest of the day at home, preparing for their party. We know that you're not a party person, so you may absent yourself if you wish." Khadijah said.

"What? _Why?!_ " Michael exclaimed. "We had to suffer through her boring parties, so why doesn't she have to suffer through ours?"

"My parties weren't nearly as big, loud and annoying as yours." Zoe rolled her eyes. "Besides I have some studying to do. Emily and I both agreed to meet up to do some studying together if we could. It's nice to have a friend doing the same university major as you, with similar career goals in mind to study with..."

"You're the most _boring_ sister ever." Sandra scowled.

"A boring sister, who _always_ got better grades than you are getting now." Zoe retorted coolly and even Michael chuckled at the burn that their older sister gave his twin.

"She won that round, dear twinnie!" Michael chortled and Sandra's glare turned on him.

Juliana and Khadijah looked at one another, clearly exasperated with the antics of their three children.

"Can we go before they do something like fill all the condiment containers with itching powder or something?" Zoe scowled.

 _"Don't give them any ideas!"_ Julian hissed as they got up from the table after clearing the bill.

Once home, she immediately began packing up a large bag with supplies for an overnight stay, two textbooks, a large notebook and several other items of stationery.

 _"I need to get out of here before they drive me completely up a wall..."_ Zoe thought.

Picking up her bags, she stepped outside and was about to get into her car when she tripped and fell.

Not even having time to scream, she crashed into her car, arm first and felt something in her arm snap.

Biting back a scream as her eyes watered, she touched the arm lightly, hissing at the pain that erupted from her touch.

Then, it happened.

As she touched the arm a second time, the ankh on her choker glowed, as did the hand that touched her injury.

Soon, she felt all pain in her arm disappear.

Zoe blinked.

She looked at her arm, then at her hand, then traced her necklace lightly.

"What in the hell-?" Zoe finally sputtered.

She sat in her car for several minutes, before finally regaining her composure.

 _"Maybe that fall wasn't as bad as I thought it was..."_ she thought.

Buckling up and tossing her bag into the backseat, she called her friend to let her know she was on her way.

After she hung up, she pushed the thought out of her head and focused on getting to where she was going safely.

It was all just her imagination.

Just like the other weird things happening around her lately...

* * *

 _ **Bangkok, Thailand**_

A short, Asian teen girl, her dark hair rolled up in a bun smiled to herself as she walked up to the circulation desk of her favourite library.

 _"Good morning, Mr Wattana!"_ she greeted the librarian cheerfully, her voice sounding light and dreamy as she walked up to the circulation desk.

"And a _good morning_ to you as well, Miss Mookjai! You seem to be in a good mood today..."

"Oh, I am, sir!" The girl adjusted her glasses- oval-shaped with black frames, as well as the heart-shaped hairpin, stuck into the side of her bun.

It was silver, with a heart-shaped ruby set in the centre that shone slightly when the light hit it.

"Good books, these are." Mr Wattana nodded his approval of her choices as she checked them out. "Enjoy them!"

She nodded and smiled at the librarian before walking away to pack up her choices in her pink and black backpack, swinging it over her shoulder quickly before stepping out into the Bangkok sunshine.

"Hi Tasanee!" A boy around her age waved to her as he entered the library when she left it.

"Hello Chatri!" The girl waved back.

"Lovely day it is. Really lovely..." Tasanee's smile grew even bigger as she walked away.

Her phone rang and as she fished it out, she read the text on the screen, her smile growing even brighter as she saw who was calling.

 _Sumalee Kadesadayurat._

Her best friend from childhood.

They had met as very young children at their very first day of school and had been inseparable since.

" _Sawatdee Kah,_ Tasanee!" A loud, cheerful voice erupted from the phone before Tasanee could get out the slightest greeting.

"And s _awatadee kah_ to you too, Sumalee..." Tasanee giggled. " _Sabai-dee mai kah?_ "

 _"I'm fabulous, as always!"_ Sumalee exclaimed.

"What is it that you want, Sumalee?" Tasanee asked.

 _"I am hurt, Nee Nee! Can I not call my best friend without an ulterior motive?"_ Tasanee could picture the pout on her best friend's face.

"No!"

 _"I don't know why everyone thinks you're so nice and sweet..."_ Sumalee grumbled playfully. _"Anyway, a friend of mine is having a party tonight and I want you to come. That means that you need to get a great new outfit!"_

Tasanee sighed. "I am _not_ going shopping with you again, Sumalee. I remember what happened the last time."

 _"That was not my fault! That was all Somchai's fault! Besides,_ _ **she**_ _was the one who got kicked out of the store, not us!"_

" _No,_ Lee-Lee." Tasanee insisted, but it was no use.

 _"Chatri Prasongsanti will be there!"_ Sumalee spoke in a sing-song tone.

Tasanee stopped suddenly. " _Chatri_ will be there? I just saw him going into the library as I was coming out and he actually called out to _me_ first!"

Sumalee squealed. _"He totally likes you, Tasanee! Just come to the party tonight, let me get you dressed up and as they say in English: 'He will be putty in your hands!'"_

Tasanee rolled her eyes. "I don't understand what you just said in any sense, but I am sure it was something stupid. I know you that well. Still, it's _Chatri..._ " she giggled.

"But I don't know if Mother will let me come..." she pointed out _._

 _"She doesn't_ _ **have**_ _to know. She's in Vietnam, isn't she? Plus she won't be back until next week..."_ Sumalee piped up.

"I don't know..." Tasanee looked and sounded extremely unsure. "She _does_ trust me not to do anything excessively stupid in her absence..."

 _"Come on! It's not like we are going to get drunk like they do in the movies! We will just be having some fun!"_

"I don't _do_ well at parties, Sumalee. You know that..." Tasanee shuddered at the thought of forced social interaction and awkward small talk.

 _"But, Tasanee... Chatri will be there._ _ **Chatri!**_ _"_ Sumalee sounded as if she were begging at that point and Tasanee finally relented.

In the end, she ended up agreeing into a shopping trip with her overly eager, excitable best friend.

All she had to do was get through this park here for a shortcut home, put away her library books, grab her bank cards and be back out again to meet her best friend at their favourite mall...

"OUCH!" She cried out, as she had bumped into something while her mind was elsewhere and toppled to the ground.

Or rather, someone.

She looked up at the towering ( _everyone_ towered over her due to her being only five feet tall, but _still..._ ) figure of another teenage girl and fought down a nervous gulp once she saw who it was.

"Ah..." Tasanee's expression changed to one of fear. "Greetings and salutations, Somchai. Lovely day today in Bangkok, isn't it?" she laughed nervously.

"Don't give me any crap _khæra!_ " Somchai snarled. "You did that to me!"

"Did what?" Tasanee looked confused for a moment. "I haven't done anything to you..."

"You... at the mall. You did something to me there!" Somchai moved aggressively and Tasanee cringed.

"Please don't harm me or my books..." Tasanee begged.

At that moment, the ruby in her hairpin glinted and as it did, Somchai's eyes flashed red, something Tasanee did not miss.

"I... _what was I doing?_ " Somchai looked confused

Then she looked down at the still terrified Tasanee and her expression softened.

"My goodness!" Somchai spoke with a tone that was significantly kinder than the one she'd been using before. "Did I hurt you? I am so sorry!"

She offered Tasanee a hand and the shorter girl took it reluctantly.

"I do hope you're okay! Are you hurt?" she looked so sweet and concerned as she asked, that it was hard to believe that mere seconds ago, she was threatening to throttle Tasanee.

"No. I am okay. I... have to go..." Tasanee sped off.

 _"No, no, no... It happened again..."_ was the essence of the thoughts for the rest of her brief journey home.

Once she arrived at her apartment building, sped up the stairs (completely ignoring the elevator) and practically flew into her room, slamming the door behind her, she slumped down against the wall.

"That happened the last time... Though last time, I somehow made her angrier..." Tasanee took out her hairpin and held it in both of her hands, her hair falling loose to just past shoulder length as she did.

"This time I made her nice... _Or did I?_ Perhaps she has that... bipolar disorder thing..." Tasanee seemed to be talking to the hairpin.

A memory flashed through her mind of how she had acquired it.

Mere months ago when her father was still alive... they had gone for a walk through this very same park. Eating ice-cream together, chatting happily... Then she'd spotted the shiny hairpiece under some bushes and reached out for it...

Tasanee shook her head to clear it.

"I will tell Sumalee about it when we meet later for the shopping trip. I promise this. Perhaps she will convince me that this is all coincidence..." Tasanee stood up and looked about getting ready for her shopping trip and subsequent partying with her best friend, which she knew she would likely regret.

* * *

 _ **Porto Alegre, Brazil**_

"Those were some impressive moves you showed, Valeria," a teen girl with tan skin, curly reddish honey brown hair just past her shoulders and green eyes smiled at the brown-skinned, dark-haired, brown-eyed girl walking next to her. "You would have never beaten me in a real fight, however."

"Oh please, Gabriela," Valeria waved dismissively. "You and I both know that I am better at Capoeira than you are, so why don't you quit while you are ahead?"

"Keep on dreaming, _minha amiga._ That will not happen." Gabriela chuckled.

Valeria rolled her eyes. "So, what are you doing this weekend? Do you want to try arranging an outing with me and some other friends to _Cristóvão's_ tonight?"

Gabriela scowled. "I cannot come. My sister returns from England today. Remember I told you she went on a Study Abroad year there? Well, unfortunately, our parents wish for me to come with them to pick her up..."

"Catharina is returning today? _Minhas condolências,_ Gabriela!" Valeria winced. " _Fique tranquilo._ You will be okay eventually..."

"How long will that _eventually_ take?" Gabriela moaned.

"Until she is so annoyed by you that she moves out permanently..." Valeria giggled.

When Gabriela joined her in giggling, her giggles sounded distinctly more mischievous than her friend's.

The kind of giggling that promised pain for those in the thoughts of the person giggling.

"They will soon recognise your talents, don't you worry Gabriela. She might be little Miss Genius but she'd never last long in a fight, now would she?" Valeria pointed out.

Gabriela scoffed. "Matilde would beat her in a fight and she's just a dog. _A big goofy dog._ "

"I swear, it's like you like that dog more than you do most people." Valeria chuckled.

"That would not be a lie, Valeria..."

Gabriela fiddled with the gauntlet bracelet around her right wrist (silver with cloud-shaped amethyst stone set in it) and glanced up at the clock on a nearby building.

"I have to go now! It wouldn't do to keep _Mãe_ and _Pai_... or my precious _irmã_ waiting..." Gabriela jogged off, waving to her friend as she did.

Minutes later, she arrived home and barely had time to enthusiastically greet her dog Matilde (a rust brown Straffordshire Bull Terrier donning a navy blue collar) before her parents came down the stairs.

"Come, Gabriela! Catharina's flight will be in soon and we haven't even left the house yet!" her mother Elizabete fussed.

"She will be fine waiting for a bit, won't she? _There's a good girl..._ " Gabriela quickly retuned her attention to the rather excited dog.

 _"Filha..."_ her father Horácio narrowed his eyes at her. "You are being rude. Apologise to her."

Gabriela rolled her eyes. "I am sorry."

Her mother sighed, not believing Gabriela in the slightest, but letting it slide for the moment.

As they rode in the car, Gabriela's mood grew darker and darker and as it did, so did the weather.

"My goodness! It was so lovely outside today! And look at it now!" Her mother looked out at the dark clouds covering the sky.

"That's the lovely thing about the weather, _Mãe._ It always changes." Gabriela sighed tiredly. "Adds a little variety to life."

 _"Gabriela!"_ her father snapped.

She merely sunk down into her seat, thinking dark, murderous thoughts.

"Okay, Gabriela. Do not let thoughts of Catharina upset you so..." Gabriela glanced at the bracelet she wore and thought of how she acquired it instead.

She'd been out walking Matilde, some months ago, the day before Catharina had left for the United Kingdom.

Catharina had been trying to- and succeeding in- winding her up, so she'd left the house to go get some fresh air and calm down, which wasn't something she normally did.

Normally she tended to do something rash, which would end up getting her into more trouble than she was already in.

Matilde had started kicking up a fuss- apparently she needed calming down too- so they both called it quits.

Taking the dog to the local park _(Parque Moinhos de Vento)_ , she'd just been about to go for a run with her when she noticed some girls from school that she disliked with a passion.

They'd not spotted her, but they had been making jokes about people that she actually _did_ like, so understandably (for once) she was feeling a little upset.

She'd actually wished for a lightning bolt to come down from the sky and zap them out of existence.

Her heart nearly stopped when it actually did.

Or almost, really.

The lightning bolt _had_ come, it's just that the girls had been somehow able to dodge it.

A pity, really.

The news had called it a freak accident.

Gabriela had felt her gauntlet grow slightly warm as the lightning bolt emerged, however and it had been quite cool before.

She might not have the coolest of tempers- or indeed be one of the smartest people in Brazil (apparently her sister was, according to their parents), but she didn't believe it to be a coincidence for a single second.

She had caused it. She was sure of it.

She didn't know how she did it, but she was sure that she had been the cause...

"Gabriela!"

She sat up suddenly in her seat, startled. "Arugh! _What?_ " she snapped at her parents.

" _Don't look at us like that!_ We are here! Do you not see?" her parents gestured around her and pointed out that they had, in fact, arrived at the local airport.

"We need to bring our umbrellas. Looks like it's going to rain..." Mr Cardoso looked up at the every darkening sky, harmonious with Gabriela's current mood.

They made their way to the arrivals area and were only waiting a few minutes until Catharina emerged, her normally pale skin somehow looking even paler than usual, her black hair cut into a perfect, ear-length bob and brown eyes behind designer glasses, surveying the area around her, until she spotted her family.

"Catharina! We are so glad you are home!" their mother exclaimed as soon as she saw the older Cardoso daughter, running to her daughter for a hug.

Her father displayed his happiness less emotionally, but he did display it nevertheless, also joining in for the hug.

Gabriela made sure that her parents couldn't see, then made a motion as if to gag at her sister, who was facing her way in the hug.

Catharina immediately scowled at her, and Gabriela smirked.

"Ah, little sister! So fabulous to see you again!" Catharina exclaimed cheerfully as she walked over to her.

 _"I am sorry I cannot say the same for you..."_ Gabriela thought.

"How was school for you while I was off on my own extended school trip?" Catharina asked her, still using the same annoyingly cheerful voice. "Oh wait, probably the same as usual. Mediocre existence, mediocre grades..."

Gabriela twitched.

"You'll never pass the ENEM this way. Not like _I_ did..."

Mr and Mrs Cardoso, who were walking in front of them some distance away, failed to notice the exchange.

When they stepped outside, it was to find that the sky had gotten even darker.

Catharina opened the umbrella given to her and rested it on her shoulder as she pulled along her luggage.

"Why don't you stop being so obnoxious and leave me be?" Gabriela growled.

"It's too much fun." Catharina shrugged.

Gabriela twitched. _"I wish the wind would just come down here right now and rip that awful pink suitcase out of her hands!"_ she growled, her hands clenched in fists.

An extremely strong gust of wind started blowing just then.

Gabriela's hair whipped around in the wind and she was suddenly extremely glad that she was wearing shorts.

The wind blew so strongly that people lost their footing- including Catharina.

She also lost her grip on the suitcase she'd been pulling along and it flew out of her hand, narrowly missing their mother's head a few feet away.

Gabriela's eyes widened.

 _"Holy hell. I think I just did that!"_ she thought as she scrambled to get to the car, ignoring her sister's struggles.

Once inside the car and as she watched as her parents help her sister and her luggage inside, a small smile formed on her face.

 _"That confirms it. I have weather powers of some sort. Now if only I could figure out how to control them..."_

* * *

 _ **Monterrey, Mexico**_

A young, Latina woman sat at a mirror, putting the finishing touches on her makeup.

Pulling her curly, mid-back length black curls into a ponytail, she stood up and admired her outfit.

A sleek, knee-length, long-sleeved silver dress that shimmered slightly and looked as if she was poured into it; silver stiletto heels and as the final touch on her outfit, she pinned a silver, four-pointed brooch with a circular sapphire set in the centre of it, right in the middle of her dress, lining up with the bottom of her chin perfectly.

 _"There,"_ she spoke aloud. _"now I am ready..."_

"I'll say, Emilia..." another young woman walked into the room. _"Usted sabe que eres hermosa, ¿correcto?"_

" _Sí._ I do try my best to look presentable for these things, you know, Beatriz..." Emilia patted down her curls and smiled at her reflection.

"You look fabulous, you are fabulous. You are talented and you are _going_ to win this!" Beatriz patted her friend's shoulder.

" _Sí._ That is what my family and my friends tell me, but how will I know this to be so? The results are not truly in the judges' hands even. It is in the hands of voters."

" _Emilia Vasquez._ You _will_ win." Beatriz put her hands on her friend's shoulders and looked her eyes, despite being a head shorter than the other young woman.

"You are right. I will win this." Emilia straightened her shoulders and put on her best confident face.

She already felt much better.

"Well, it's time for me to go reclaim my seat. Your family's already out there preparing to celebrate even though the show hasn't started yet. And even though I'm sitting with our friends, I still managed to get a seat next to Enrique too..." Beatriz giggled.

Emilia rolled her eyes. "You have known my brother for years and he _still_ hasn't noticed you like that. Why will he now?"

"You are so _mean_ sometimes, amiga!" Beatriz exclaimed, mock hurt.

 _"Shoo!"_ Emilia waved her off.

"Fine. I understand when I am not wanted..." Beatriz left the room and Emilia was alone once again.

Once alone again, she brushed her fingers across the brooch on her chest.

"My lucky charm. Such a beautiful brooch too. I cannot do this tonight without wearing you..."

She closed her eyes and enjoyed her last few moments of peace before a stagehand popped his head in the door to summon her out for the biggest night of her (almost) nineteen year old life.

 _"Bienvenido a la final de la Superstrella de México!"_

The audience cheered and screamed in excitement as the host stepped out onto the stage of a concert hall, dressed in a white tux with black trim.

"It's been several long weeks. Many talented stars have come and gone and _tonight,_ only two remain!"

A burst of cheers from the audience again rang out through the entire hall.

"Please welcome our two finalists, _Emilia Vasquez_ and _Manuel Navarro!_ "

From one side of the stage, Emilia walked out, smiling and waving at the audience, while on the other side, a young man with copious amounts of gel in his hair who was dressed in dark green pants, a light green shirt with the collar popped and a black bow tie, walked out from the other side.

After both Emilia and Manuel had given their _"It's been fun and I hope I win!"_ speeches, a montage of clips from throughout their time on the shows played for each, including a few scenes where they both interacted quite pleasantly with each other and appeared friendly.

"They've given us so many rousing performances over the past few weeks and _tonight,_ they will give their final performances before this year's winner is crowned. Let's get on with the show, shall we?"

The audience roared its approval.

Her eyes raking the audience, Emilia soon found her own family and friends in the audience, cheering for and waving at her.

Her twin older brothers Enrique and Federico sat together, both holding up a rather glittery sign along with their younger sister Alejandra (seated on one side of Federico). On Alejandra's other side, her younger brother Diego sat, their parents Pedro and Marisol

Beatriz, as she had promised, had found a seat on Enrique's other side, but was currently ignoring him in favour of cheering for her best friend, along with some other friends of theirs.

Emilia felt as if the time was flying as the event progressed, until it came to the time to announce the winner.

She clutched the brooch in a death grip, as if it was her lifeline.

Finding it the day she did, the day before she decided to even enter this contest in the first place...

It was only a pity that her abuela Juanita wasn't here to see it. She was always the one who had encouraged her to sing her heart out...

"And the winner is..." the announcer's voice snapped her out of her wandering thoughts.

 _"Emilia Vasquez!"_

Emilia's eyes widened and she stood there, shocked.

She'd actually won? All her hard work had pair off?

"Congratulations, Em. I'm not happy to have lost of course, but at least I did so to a worthy opponent..." Manuel smiled at her and offered a hand, which she took, shaking it firmly.

The rest of the evening flew past in a blur, with Emilia making a thank you speech, giving her rousing performance as the winner and receiving her prizes, as well as talking to sponsors and well-wishers.

It was when she'd finally gotten home well after midnight and sitting in her room, that she was able to think clearly again.

"I won. I actually won!" Emilia squealed to herself, beaming.

"Abuela Juanita, I actually won!" she began talking to a picture of an elderly Latina woman she had framed on her dresser. "You and I used to sing together all the time when I was little and now I get to sing for all of Mexico! I wish you were here to see it. You would have _loved_ it!"

Emilia held the brooch close and felt a warmth spread from her fingertips, throughout her body.

"But I _am_ here, Emi..." An ethereal female voice came from the picture.

Emilia's eyes widened. "No way. I am hearing voices. I must be..." she looked around the room wildly.

"No, no. You are not hearing voices, darling _nieta._ " the voice spoke. "It is me, speaking to you. All because of those powers of yours. The powers that started forming within you from the moment you found that brooch in the cemetery where I am buried all those months ago..."

"It must be you. No one else was there to see and I told no one I would be there that day- or even how I found it..." Emilia glanced down at the brooch in her hands. "This is all so _strange..._ "

"I know it must seem strange, darling. I have been dead for nearly four years now, after all," Abuelita Juanita's voice emanated from the picture. "but the powers that you have been granted... you were chosen for a reason. That reason will soon reveal itself."

"But now that I will be... am famous, won't this affect the career that I've wanted, that I've been working on for _so long?_ " Emilia suddenly looked worried.

"It will work out in time." Juanita's voice reassured her. "The strange incidents you have had around you since you found the brooch... Walking through that wall, for instance- though you had just woken up and thought that it was the sleepiness getting to you... It did indeed happen. Things inexplicably changing places, the feeling of presences around you that were stronger than usual and you could not explain them away..."

Emilia sat back on her bed and started to shake.

 _"I don't think-"_ she started, but Juanita cut her off.

"You _will_ be able to handle it. Just remember to rely on your family and friends for support and when help comes along, don't be afraid to take it." the old woman advised her.

Emilia nodded.

She closed her eyes as she felt her Abuela's presence engulf her again, before fading away.

"I have heard of things like this happening, but the idea that I would actually be able to cause such things myself... I need to learn control. I'm famous now. I can't let this mess up what I've worked so hard for!"

"Emilia! Come downstairs! The entire neighbourhood wants to celebrate with you!" She perked up when she heard her father's voice call up the stairs.

Emilia took a deep breath and got up, heading downstairs, where she eventually saw what indeed looked like the entire neighbourhood gathered in her front yard and the street in front of it.

"Well, ladies and gentlemen and loyal fans in my neighbourhood. I guess it's time to celebrate!" Emilia pumped her fist into the air and cheered, the crowd cheering with her.


End file.
